Receiver to subwoofer connection

My receiver just quit on us, and I'm in the market to get a replacement. I'm a bit confused about how our current subwoofer will attach to the new receiver.

Currently our subwoofer connects to the receiver using standard speaker wire. Most of the receivers I am looking into have a black RCA type connections for the subwoofer. I'm not sure how to attach this to my existing speaker. Is this a connection to a separate amplifier for just the sub? If I buy a receiver with this type of output would it be compatible with the inputs on my sub?

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Receiver to subwoofer connection

Just use a 'make your own RCA' plug. You can get them at radio shack.

One thing..... Is your sub woofer powered? As in it has a power cord. If not. Then it most likely wont work correctly with a new reciever. With powered sub's you doing need heavy speaker wire because the sub has an amp in it.

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__________________
Even if you are on the right track, you will still get run over if you just sit there.

Receiver to subwoofer connection

If your Subwoofer is non-powered and only has speaker-connections, I would definitely buy a new Subwoofer as well.

Today's Subwoofers have Amps built-in and just need a single LFE (Low Frequency Effect) connection from the Receiver, using a single RCA Cable.
Or, as suggested, make your own using simple RG6 Cables with RCA Adapters on them.

Back in the 80's, we had some Subs that needed Speaker wire connections, and from there the Cables were connected to the left and right Front Speakers.
Ugh!

Time to upgrade.
You can get a decent Receiver with 3D, Ultra 4K, 7 Channels, etc. for about $500, and a very nice Sub for about $200-$300.

Also look for the DIY Subwoofer Kits on PartsExpress.com.
Very nice Stuff there.

Receiver to subwoofer connection

A non-powered subwoofer (speaker wire input terminals, no power cord of its own) will not work with the (line level) RCA plug output from the A/V receiver even if you fashion a cord that connects the two.

For a receiver with line level subwoofer output you can hook up a separate (single channel many watt) amplifier to operate a non-powered sub. An RCA plug cable goes from the receiver to the separate amp and speaker wire goes from the separate amp to the sub.

One of the regular channel receiver speaker outputs can be commandeered to feed a non-powered sub. But that channel usually can't double as feeding the appropriate left or right or rear channel speaker since balancing the sound level for the sub and the respective regular speaker is difficult. Very low frequency content is approximately the same for all channels (left, rear, etc.) but you would not want to commandeer either the front left or the front right to feed the subwoofer exclusively.

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Receiver to subwoofer connection

Receiver to subwoofer connection

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fix'n it

lucky you. i bet you see some high end stuff

Mr. Fix'n it:

Actually, I do see some very nice Systems (like the ones you see at AVSForum.com) but really, most People are fine with $3500-$5000 Systems. They don't want a Subwoofer the Size of a Refrigerator.
Like I mentioned before, I use the 15 Inch "Titanic" from PE and couldn't be happier. That Thing shakes the House.
And, between you and me, dual 18 Inchers isn't really what you'll see in average Home Theater Systems.
7 out of 10 Theaters I worked on are using 10 Inchers, from all kinds of manufacturers.
Speakers have to have the "WAF" (Wife-approved-Factor) built in.
I install more and more In wall Speakers, believe it or not. Wifey just doesn't play along with massive Towers anymore.
And In-wall speakers have come a long way in the last twenty years.

Again, the average Home Theater User/Beginner/Joe-six-pack I see to troubleshoot, uses a lot less Equipment than perhaps you and me.
I sell a lot of Pioneer Amps, but use the Elite Series myself. Hardly ever do I sell Elite Amps, you know why? They are too darn expensive!

This Summer, btw, I'll be upgrading my existing 7.1 to a 11.2 System.
It never ends....

Receiver to subwoofer connection

I built my H/T as a dedicated room for video and listening to music, so I didn't have to worry about the WAF. I have been very happy with mine for almost 12 years now. There have been some changes and upgrades over the years but the basic setup has remained the same.